Dad sleeps in car as Birmingham housing list reaches all time high

The city council is very much focused on a “journey of improvement”, according to the Housing Ombudsman for England.

Following a stinging report, external in 2023, which criticised how it handled housing complaints, the authority has been closely monitored.

In Birmingham, 137 complaints were upheld by the regulatory service between September 2021 and September 2024, of which 88% were due to “maladministration” by the council.

These focused on issues of mould and damp for tenants but complaints handling and “antisocial behaviour” also featured.

“Given the condition of some properties, the landlord needs to be really confident it has the right information about the circumstances of the household, so it can adequately assess the risks,” said Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman for England.

“The council is focused on how it can improve. However, the scale of some of the challenges that we identified means that it is going to take time to provide the level of service which it aspires to and its residents deserve.”

The council said it was delivering £200m of investment this year in its housing stock, while increasing the number of inspections it carried out in order to comply with the government’s Decent Homes Standard.

But for Ali, the stress and anxiety is ongoing.

“To the council, I say, we have told you what it’s like here.

“Please, if you sort this out, you are going to save six people’s welfare.”